Patents by Inventor Takuya Kotajima

Takuya Kotajima has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8678629
    Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicular headlamp includes: a projection lens arranged to have an optical axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a light-emitting element that is a light source arranged on a rear side with respect to a rear focal point of the projection lens; and a reflector that is formed so that a longitudinal section of the reflector has the shape of an ellipse having a first focal point at a center of light emission of the light-emitting element and a second focal point at the rear focal point of the projection lens, wherein the reflector is arranged to cover the light-emitting element and reflects irradiated light toward the projection lens, the irradiated light being light irradiated from the light-emitting element. A major axis of the ellipse, passing through the first focal point and the second focal point, is inclined with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Takuya Kotajima, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8487535
    Abstract: An automotive headlamp apparatus comprises: a lamp unit configured to be capable of forming an additional light distribution pattern that includes an upper area above the cut-off line of a light distribution pattern for low beam and that is divided into a plurality of individual patterns; and a controller configured to control formation of each of the individual patterns in accordance with presence of a forward vehicle. The controller reduces the illuminance of an individual pattern overlapping an area where a forward vehicle is present and increases the illuminance of at least one of other individual patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Tani, Noriko Sato, Motohiro Komatsu, Hidetada Tanaka, Hiroyuki Ishida, Naoki Uchida, Takuya Kotajima
  • Patent number: 8226285
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a low beam lamp unit which forms a low beam distribution pattern having a cutoff line along an upper edge thereof, and an additional lamp unit which forms an additional light distribution pattern including an area above the cutoff line of the low beam distribution pattern. The additional lamp unit is configured such that a luminous intensity of at least a portion of the additional light distribution pattern increases toward a horizontal line from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Kotajima, Satoshi Yamamura
  • Patent number: 8042981
    Abstract: In a vehicle headlamp, a light source image forming device forms a first light source image and a second light source image. A projection lens projects the first light source image and the second light source image so as to have a common border with each other. The light source image forming device forms the first light source image and the second light source image at positions spaced apart from each other along respective edges forming the common border.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Kotajima, Satoshi Yamamura
  • Publication number: 20110032722
    Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicular headlamp includes: a projection lens arranged to have an optical axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a light-emitting element that is a light source arranged on a rear side with respect to a rear focal point of the projection lens; and a reflector that is formed so that a longitudinal section of the reflector has the shape of an ellipse having a first focal point at a center of light emission of the light-emitting element and a second focal point at the rear focal point of the projection lens, wherein the reflector is arranged to cover the light-emitting element and reflects irradiated light toward the projection lens, the irradiated light being light irradiated from the light-emitting element. A major axis of the ellipse, passing through the first focal point and the second focal point, is inclined with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Takuya Kotajima, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110012510
    Abstract: An automotive headlamp apparatus comprises: a lamp unit configured to be capable of forming an additional light distribution pattern that includes an upper area above the cut-off line of a light distribution pattern for low beam and that is divided into a plurality of individual patterns; and a controller configured to control formation of each of the individual patterns in accordance with presence of a forward vehicle. The controller reduces the illuminance of an individual pattern overlapping an area where a forward vehicle is present and increases the illuminance of at least one of other individual patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro TANI, Noriko SATO, Motohiro KOMATSU, Hidetada TANAKA, Hiroyuki ISHIDA, Naoki UCHIDA, Takuya KOTAJIMA
  • Patent number: 7824086
    Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a plurality of light source units disposed rearwards of a rear focal plane of the projection lens. Each of the light source units includes a light emitting device; and a light guiding member having a front end light output port and adapted to guide light from the light emitting device to the front end light output port so as to allow the light be emitted from the front end light output port. The front end light output ports of the light guiding members of the respective light source units are arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction in a vicinity of the rear focal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamamura, Takuya Kotajima
  • Publication number: 20090290372
    Abstract: In a vehicle headlamp, a light source image forming device forms a first light source image and a second light source image. A projection lens projects the first light source image and the second light source image so as to have a common border with each other. The light source image forming device forms the first light source image and the second light source image at positions spaced apart from each other along respective edges forming the common border.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Kotajima, Satoshi Yamamura
  • Publication number: 20090231873
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a low beam lamp unit which forms a low beam distribution pattern having a cutoff line along an upper edge thereof, and an additional lamp unit which forms an additional light distribution pattern including an area above the cutoff line of the low beam distribution pattern. The additional lamp unit is configured such that a luminous intensity of at least a portion of the additional light distribution pattern increases toward a horizontal line from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya KOTAJIMA, Satoshi YAMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20090073712
    Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a plurality of light source units disposed rearwards of a rear focal plane of the projection lens. Each of the light source units includes a light emitting device; and a light guiding member having a front end light output port and adapted to guide light from the light emitting device to the front end light output port so as to allow the light be emitted from the front end light output port. The front end light output ports of the light guiding members of the respective light source units are arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction in a vicinity of the rear focal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamamura, Takuya Kotajima